Shortest practical barrel

[tiny68]

Just picked a new take off 308 sporter barrel. I want to make a light weight carbine style rifle for my 11 yr old. The 308 I put together for him this year is just too heavy for shooting in a tree. We will save it for FClass. So 18"? 20"? Tim

[Captain Finlander]

I think that your really splitting hairs if your trying to save weight by cutting a few inches off a barrel. At 11 he has time to grow into his rifle and if you cut it off today, expect to be replacing it tomorrow.

I wouldn't go any shorter than 20" on a carbine otherwise I start feeling like just making a pistol out of it.

[Smokey262]

I just had a 243 barrel cut to 18.5" for my soon to be 10 year old son. I cut 2" off the butt end of the stock and added a 1" youth decelerator, then cut 2" off the fore end and recontoured it. It handles very nice. Load developement hopefully before Christmas

As to replacing it soon, well, a take off barrel can be had for plenty cheap :)

[tiny68]

As to replacing it soon, well, a take off barrel can be had for plenty cheap :)


I have already brought new take-off sporter. Should be hear in a week. I guess I will try it at 22" first and see how it balances for him. Tim

[1Shot]

...I'ld knock it down to a 20" myself..Makes it alittle more handi in the woods..Wifey likes her LE-1 20" .308 Balances out good for her...

[tammons]

I like 19" myself and I can tell you a 308 with a 18-19" barrel will do everything you need a hunting rifle to do.

Its short, handy, fits in a truck on the hump, handier inside a box house etc.

Mine has a chopped 19" sporter barrel, weighs 7# even with scope dry in a tupperware stock and 8# even in a duromax stock which I prefer due to the better recoil pad etc.
The mount is an EGW, burris extreme rings and a leupold 2-7x VX1.

I load the 208 gr amax over RL17 at 2450 fps or so and with a 19" bbl that will shoot past 1250 yards supersonic and it will carry 850 fpe out to 1000 yards. For reference it shot about 2550 fps with a 22" barrel.

With an 18" barrel that would change to 1200 yds and 950 yds.

I also load 220 gr prohunters over RL17 at 2375-2400 and that will mow down most any animal in the brush.

Personally I dont see a downside to a short barreled 308.

You can download it with 110-130 gr bullets over H4895 and it has a recoil about like a 243.

[LongArm]

16"-18" there is a lot of info on it http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2189502&page=1

[snipecatcher]

Look up my lightweight stalking rifle thread. My 308 has ~17" barrel and is very light. I load 125 grain ballistic tips @ 2150 fps. It has very light recoil, but all the power you'll need out to 150 yards or so. It would be perfect for a youngster.